Stolzenberger, Penelope
Dissertation topic: "Female perspectives on politics? The thinking of Hannah Arendt and Martha Nussbaum in dialogue with Aristotle." (working title)
Contact address at the University of Würzburg:
Institute of Philosophy
Residence - South Wing
97070 Würzburg
First supervisor: Prof. Dr Jörn Müller
Second supervisors:
Class in the Graduate School: "Philosophy, Languages, Arts"
Doctorate in the Graduate School from winter semester 2012/2013.
Abstract:
Only a few women in political philosophy are granted the honour of having their theories receive widespread academic attention or even being regarded as classics in their field. This makes it all the more astonishing that two of these exceptional figures - Hannah Arendt and Martha Nussbaum - do not base their thinking primarily on modern contract theory or Immanuel Kant, but rather return to ancient motifs. Both theorists are engaged in an intensive dialogue with Aristotle and reinterpret his figures of thought in the context of modern political and philosophical phenomena.
Accordingly, my research interest centres on two sets of questions:
Firstly, why do female authors in particular take the path back to antiquity, or how do they specifically take this step? Interestingly, both Nussbaum and Arendt not only adapt Aristotle's motifs in terms of content, but also his methodological approaches. Both, for example, see the interpretation of ancient tragedies as a suitable means of human self-interpretation and also apply this method to contemporary literary texts. Despite the common ancient reference standard, it is remarkable that Arendt and Nussbaum take different directions in the elaboration of their respective theoretical concepts. The amorphous phenomenon of "neo-Aristotelianism" is also illuminated in this context. In no way can neo-Aristotelian currents generally be regarded - as Jürgen Habermas attempted to do - as manifestations of neo-conservatism. Nussbaum and Arendt in particular are examples of the broad spectrum of political theories that can emerge from a dialogue with Aristotle. In addition, a tension arises from the question of the role of femininity in relation to the formation of theory and the fact that neither author can be categorised as belonging to the feminist camp.
And secondly, to what extent does the reference to Aristotle and antiquity bring about a change of perspective within political theory or what added value could result from this for the political present? Following Aristotle, both authors see shared human experience as the basis for their theory. Accordingly, both the ability to speak and human action play a key role in the context of political interaction. Grit Straßenberger calls such a conception "narrative political theory". Of particular interest here is the examination of the valorisation of the plural in the field of politics - as carried out by Nussbaum and Arendt - in contrast to the predominant emphasis on the individual within modern political theory.
